the return of the phantom
by sliverlor
Summary: The Phantom was left hollow and broken with a thrist for revenge, and when the theater is reopend he sees hids chance in Cristens young daughter, but who is this women that has capturd his attention?


Disclamer: I only wish that Erik was mine, I own nothing

Thank you to my beta and my best friend ever I love you carol!

Ok with out further ado...

Aislinn Queneck and her brother Armond stared open mouthed at the girl in front of them. She stood on the stage in the Opera Populare , the stage was like every thing else in the theater refurbished, The new owners was the Count Queneck and his family, the first Performance was to be an Opera of the disaster that had occurred nearly 20 years ago. Aislinn recovered from the shock of the women's voice, loud and sharp.

" Well that was.."

"Painful" whispered Armond in his sister's ear.

"You'd make a wonderful Carlotta." She said, her brother staring in disbelieve,

" What are you doing?" He asked urgently as they walked from the main theater to the parlor.

"Armond, you were there when I interviewed the Real Carlotta, she sang for us remember?" Aislinn said.

"Yes, and despite her old age, the women sang like a diva."

"Yes, but in her age her voice lost a lot of its luster, the women today sang just like Carlotta did 20 years ago."

"Ok, so we have a Carlotta, what about the rest of the cast? We still need a Christine, a Meg, a phantom, and a Raoul."

"We have a Christine." Aislinn said, knowingly pointing to the double doors of the main Hall, just as they opened.

"Hello Vicompte de Changey." She greeted bowing slightly.

" And Miss de Changey, how do you do? Welcome to the Opera Populare , I am Aislinn Queneck, Daughter of Count Queneck, and this is my brother Armond, Armond meet our Christine." Aislinn presented the 17 year old Michelle, only child of Christen and Raul. The spitting image of her mother, with dark hair and pale skin, Armond stood fixed for several seconds staring at her.

"The pleasure is mine, mademoiselle." He cooed taking her hand and kissing it gently, Aislinn rolled her eyes turning his attention to the parents.

" I would like to thank you once again for allowing Michelle to perform, I can think of no one better suited for the roll of Christine then her own child."

"She has had plenty of tutoring, but I thought it would be good for her to perform on stage, but may I ask who will be performing as me?" The Count smiled and in his age Aislinn saw the stupidity of a young man. She forced a smile

" I am." Said Armond, which surprised Aislinn. Armond had been her first choice to play Raoul, but he had refused. Then she understood, he had fallen for Michelle. True to his roll, she thought.

"Well, good to hear." Said the Count with a smile, he put his arm around his child.

"Well, we best be going Michelle, be a good girl." He kissed his daughters forehead and steered his wife out the doors.

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Aislinn bent over her piano in utter concentration, who would play the Phantom? All the men who attempted to try out were laughable. None possessed the right mind, the right ability, to bring the roll to life. The Phantom had been her obsession since her nanny had told her the story as a young girl. When she was old enough she researched the story, asking anyone who was there. Her greatest piece of information came from the elderly Madam Giry, who had told her the story of the Phantom's life, and showed her that he was not the criminal everyone thought him to be; he was a misunderstood genius. Unknown to Aislinn, the Phantom was well alive. After Christine had left he sank further in to his under ground tunnels. He became hollow, stopped trying to take from the world that seemed to take everything from him. The love he felt for Christine was replaced with a thirst for revenge. So he waited for the moment to strike, and lucky for him that moment came in the form of the Michelle. The daughter of his beloved had come to perform as her mother, the perfect set up. But her father was cautious, he had sent a guard, to protect her at all times. But there's always a way and his way to her was thru her lovely manager, Aislinn Queneck. She would be his way to Michelle, and he wouldn't mess up this time. He would study them all for their weak spot, Aislinn's weak point.

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Aislinn had still not found a Phantom, but rehearsal had to start if they wish to be ready by premier time; so it begun. She told her family and patrons that they didn't need a phantom yet, as the first scenes didn't have him in it, but they could tell she was worried.

"Ok, from the top," she called, starting the band in the music of the first scene. The music began and the Carlotta started to sing.

"Excuse me, Madam, but I'm from the paper and would like a word from you," a man interrupted, smiling and holding up a notebook.

"Yes, of course, umm PLEASE CONTIUN UNTIL I RETURN," she shouted at the cast. She lead the reporter to the hall were she found he had not been the only one to come for an interview. 7 to 9 reporters stood in the lobby, along with a few photographers.

"Madam Queneck, is it true that Christine Daee will be played by her daughter, Michelle?" one asked.

"Yes, Michelle will be playing her mother." she answered

" What is she like to work with," another called. Aislinn thought about the last few days of practice. In truth Michelle was a dull and impossibly young, with an airiness that made Aislinn want to strike the girl.

"She is as airy as her mother with the brains of her father." She answered smiling. She suddenly turned and glanced behind her, scanning the shadows.

"Madam, Are you alright?"

"Yes," She replied, "I thought I heard a voice… never mind. Next question."

Erik winced, had she heard him? That was stupid if him to laugh, but her answer had shocked him. She had insulted the daughter of a very powerful count and had made it look commentary. This girl intrigued him, he was oddly curious to what she would surprise him with next.

"Aislinn!" Armond called to his sister from the theater

" The Carlotta is threatening to quit if we don't have a Phantom in the next 3 minutes!"

Aislinn turned to the reporters, "Excuse me gentlemen, I must see to this." She bowed and followed her brother, rubbing her head where a slight irritation headache had begun.

"Ahh! Miss Queneck!" the Carlotta shouted " Tell me we have a Phantom, or I shall walk out this moment. How can I be expected to practice with out the Phantom. And my dress, I hate my dress!" Aislinn rolled her eyes. The woman looked like a little girl demanding sweets from her mother.

"You make a dear mistake thinking I care one bit about your fondness, or lack there of, for your dress. And we are working very hard to find a Phantom, as we are well aware that the opera can not happen without him." Aislinn was in no mood to see to the whims of a spoiled child let alone a grown woman. Her words surprised and frightened the Carlotta, who looked for a moment as though she would burst in to tears, then she sniffed and stuck her nose in to the air like a queen.

"Well, now I know why you haven't found one, men must be terrified of you. I wondered why you weren't married, must have scared off your-." But she didn't continue; Aislinn slapped her across the face, and stormed off, leaving the Carlotta staring in outrage, hand on her cheek.

"Aislinn! Wait!" Armond shouted, running after his sister.

"I don't want to hear it, Armond," she snapped.

"Aislinn, she didn't know." He grabbed her arm turning her around. "Aislinn, come on." he cooed, pulling his sister in to a hug. She pushed him away. Armond loved his sister, but she could be cold and harsh. As a child she was loving and happy, but she had been kidnapped when she was 13. Her captor had her for almost a year, no one was quite sure what had happened. Aislinn didn't speak for years after she had returned, and when she did she refused to speak of her time in captivity. She became distant, drawing away from any touch. And her anger became a constant worry to their mother, who feared she would never marry. But to every ones surprise she did. The mans name was Henry Asbury, and he found her short temper and brutal honesty refreshing. Aislinn was in love head-over-heels for the older man, who was nearly 20 years her senior. They had been married for 3 years when Henry committed suicide; hanging himself off the balcony of their newly built home. He left Aislinn every thing, including his estates in Paris, London, and Spain; and enough money to last 10 life times. But Aislinn was never the same, thou her new wealth brought many suitors, she turned each one away, becoming more and more distant from her family. Until her father bought the Opera Populare, putting her and her brother in charge of all affairs. But this was proving to be more a burden for Aislinn then a blessing. The pressure to make the best Opera possible, with the public already skeptical about the famous disaster was taking its toll. And they still didn't have a Phantom yet.

"Aislinn?" Armond inquired, as his sister had become silent and had a strange look in her eyes.

"I have found us a Phantom." She said, a smile spreading across her face.

"Really? W-who?" Armond was breathless. Had she really found them a Phantom?

" Me," she said. Armond's jaw dropped. Sure, no one knew more about the phantom then Aislinn, but could she really play the part. Armond scolded himself, of course she could; she was perfect for the role, yes, she was perfect.

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Aislinn dropped her dress to the floor and in only her undergarments sat at her piano. What had she done. True she knew the roll of the Phantom better then any one, but the papers would be all over this. The opera was already thought to fail, because Aislinn had rejected well known opera singers in favor of less known names. This was the first ever performances of her lead, opera suicide as she was told. And now the Phantom was to be played by a woman. This whole thing spelled disaster.

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Armond was in awe of his sisters performance, she truly brought the roll to life. Goosebumps raised on his arms, she was too good. It was rather unnerving, her acting had a dark, almost evil quality to it.

"Armond! That was your queue!" Armond was shoved from his thoughts by Aislinn's voice.

"My apologies," he said.

" Alright, from the top then," She yelled, "and remember to listen this time."

The Phantom was amazed, at first he'd been outraged that a women was to play him; then he watched her. She was quite lovely, if only she would smile. Thick red hair fell in waves down to nearly her waist, her skin was oddly dark for such light hair; everything about her was small, odd considering her height. And unlike Christine, her green eyes held something the he could not place, a pain or fear, loss maybe.

He had always been able to read Christine, as her emotions never ran very deep, but this woman was a mystery, and oddly alluring. She moved a part of him that he had long ago buried. Who was this woman that caused such a curiosity, where had she come from? He didn't know but he would find out.

He started by studying her family. Her father, the Count, was a large caring man. He was kind, but thick in more then one way, no he wouldn't provide the answers Erik wanted. Her mother had died 3 years prior. But her brother, he seemed concerned about his sister, and seemed to posses some of his sisters brains. Yes, he could provide the answers he needed. But to get them, the Phantom of the Opera needed to return.

Aislinn sat in her undergarments at her piano, her fingers flew across the keys in rapid moment. She was lost in the music, her eyes closed. She seemed almost in trance. Erik was stunned, she could play? But what music was it? It was beautiful. He gently pushed the two way mirror open. She was beautiful when she played, putting all of her self in to, it was powerful. Erik felt almost overwhelmed, he was drawn to her. He was only inches from her now. He noticed she had freckles sprawled across her nose, uncommon on such a dark complexion. With no direction at all his hand slowly raised to her face, his heart speed up and unknown to him hers did as well, though she didn't know why. His hand gently touched her warm skin, he hadn't felt the softness of skin in 20 years. A lump rouse in his throat, and butterflies swam around her stomach. Suddenly her hand slipped, her fingers pounded the wrong key, causing a horrible stop and awakening Aislinn from her trance. She stood instantly and looked around in a panic at her empty room, her heart pounding in her throat.

Erik shook, what the hell was that? What was it that sent shivers down his spine? This women was getting in the way, she could upset his entire plan.

Aislinn wiped the sweat from her forehead, something was here she was sure of it. A tiny part of her thought she had finally cracked. She wandered to the bed. Her head spinning she lied down and closed her eyes.

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ok chapter one, chapter 2 is already written, please pleas tell me what you think


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